Still Here, For Now

It’s been a while since I wrote anything here. I’m at that stage again of wondering whether to bother with this blog, seeing as I hardly ever update and when I do it’s about books (which I could do on Goodreads instead). I feel I am mostly sending words out into the void and what is the point? But until I make a decision about that, here’s a life update.

At the end of October I tried out for the main league again. It was a much better experience this time, but I still didn’t make it in. I am not a stand out, although they said my skills were good. It is fine, and they are probably right that I am not ready, but it sucks to lose yet more of my buddies from rec league. Really proud of them, but wish I could still skate with them. We also had another rec league bout on the same day and my team lost by one point. Ugh. We did play really well though, and the standard overall was great.

November 11^th was Nin’s birthday, so we went as a family to Robin Hood’s Bay to scatter her ashes. We spent a lot of time there when we were kids and that’s what she wanted. We’d meant to do this in summer but that just didn’t happen. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunny day and we all enjoyed each other’s company, and I think Nin would have been happy with that.

I was also an extra in a film, for the company Max works for. I don’t know if I will actually end up in the final cut, or if, even if I do, you’ll be able to see me or tell it’s me, but it was fun. I felt like a right prat for a lot of it, since it was all done on green screen, but I did get to fall about on some crash mats and attempt to look scared. It’s a good job I don’t want to be an actress, because I am terrible.

I attempted to do NaNoWriMo for the first time this November, and I made it to 20,000 words or so before life got in the way. But that’s 20,000 more words than I had to begin with, and I did like that NaNo forced me to sit down and write and just get words on the page without over thinking it. Just get the first draft done and fix it later. Usually when I write things it is just notes and ideas, like I have to wait for inspiration to strike before I can do anything, and this just means I don’t really get anywhere. So for that it was a good experience and I hope to continue with my book. And I would definitely try NaNo again, maybe just when I am not as busy.

And then I went to Berlin for four days, with Max and a bunch of rollergirls. We did some touristy stuff and a day of watching roller derby, as it was a tournament weekend. Berlin is a wonderful city. I’d never been before but it’s really cool to wander around. We did an alternative tour, being guided around for three hours looking at graffiti and getting a bit of history about the city. It was very cold though, and we abandoned our attempt to see a broken down theme park. We intend to go back when it’s a bit warmer and see more stuff.

And I’ll end with babies, since there are now two new ones in the world. My niece Isla was born six weeks premature last week, but she’s doing really well, she’s just very small. Her middle name is Betty, after my grandmother. It’s perfect. I am going up to Yorkshire to see her tomorrow. And then, on the same day, my friend had Annie, who is not tiny at all. I look forward to many cuddles.

Life is good.

Naughty Sketching

I have had such a fun day today. I met up with Max and some of the Brits Abroad in Angel and we went to Dr Sketchy London, which is sort of an anti-art school life drawing class, but you also get a bit of a burlesque show first too. At this one there were two women, and they did a little performance each before settling into poses for us to sketch, anything from a minute to ten minutes. (I got rather more up close and personal with one of them than I would have liked, when I wandered into the toilet while she was undressing. She had an amazing arse. But you’d think they’d put signs up or something telling people to use the other loo.)

I should say before I go any further, I am not an artist. I haven’t drawn anything since school probably. I used to be good at copying cartoony things, like Winnie the Pooh and stuff like that, but people I’ve never been good at. My brother got all those art genes from my dad. The one bloody good thing I could inherit and nada. Anyway, luckily that’s not what this event is about, it’s just about having fun. And it was mega fun. They did different themes for the drawings, and gave out little prizes throughout and had an overall winner. Some of the people there were proper artists, and they did amazing drawings, but mostly it was people like us, who were just having a go, and a laugh.

Warning: Below there are boobs. But they are mostly drawn by me and so not so boob-like.

This is one of mine, and the one I am most proud of, as it actually looks like a woman, and isn’t totally dreadful.

Max’s (closest) and Maria’s.

The theme of this one was to draw the lady as if in the forest of Lothlorien, and then we had to swap halfway through with someone next to us. So the woman is mine, and the rest is Max.

And this was Max’s plus my Legolas and Gimli. It was easier to not take it seriously when finishing Max’s.

The theme of this one was the ‘surprise monkey’ round. Halfway through drawing they’d shout out an animal/being and you had to draw it too. And it might not be real. So the bloke shouts out ‘Gelfling!’ And everyone goes ‘What the fuck is a Gelfling?’ And no one in the room, which was about 40 people, knew. (It’s from the Dark Crystal if you’re one of the many who don’t know.) So I won a lollipop. Mostly for knowing, and not for my picture, which looks nothing like a Gelfling. Maria won for another pic, she got some saucy stockings. Max and Martin also won lollipops. So our table didn’t do too badly to say we were quite rubbish.

I’d definitely recommend it as a fun day out.

Nothing to See Here

OK, time for a semi regular life update.

On Friday Max threw a murder mystery party, which, I admit, I wasn’t hugely looking forward to since I had to dress up as Victoria Beckham and I felt all self-conscious about it. Also, he wouldn’t tell me much about it, since he was writing the whole thing himself, and I didn’t get how it was going to work. I basically suck as a girlfriend, frankly. Anyway, it was excellent fun, and he did an awesome job with the mystery and getting people involved. We were all footballers and WAGS, though with different histories to reality. We had dinner and then had to talk to each other to work out whodunnit. I was an accomplice but was discovered in the end darn it.

My best friend had a baby this weekend which is incredibly exciting. She is teeny and perfect and I can’t wait to meet her.

This weekend was a bank holiday which meant no Sunday Blues, and I have tomorrow off too, which is lovely. I got breakfast in bed and a cookie, which is really how every day should go. I haven’t done much, but it’s been nice. We also watched Iron Man 2 which was entertaining enough but dragged a fair bit and there was a lot you could cut out and not miss.

I was supposed to go on a Jack the Ripper walk on Saturday, which I was looking forward to as I’ve never been on one, but when I got to my train station it was shut, which the internet had not informed me of, and it was too late to get there any other way. Also, it was chucking it down, because every bank holiday has shitty weather, it’s like the law. Today we’ve had some sun but it’s been very cold and windy. Puh.

Um…yeah, this is lame as an update. I have basically spent the day watching Gilmore Girls and playing Mahjong on my computer. I know how to party y’all.

Love and Books and Birthdays

After all my whining about the evilness of Valentine’s Day, it turned out to be not so bad. I got flowers, delivered to my work, in person no less. Awww…yeah yeah. Lovely surprise, except I spoiled it by not actually being at work when he got there. I was out buying lunch. Oops. I got back to the office to find flowers on my desk and colleagues going ‘who is he who is he who is he?’ Busted. On the actual day we watched Whip It (which was so-so), and ate pizza, and I also got a cookie. Actually it wasn’t much different to every other day, which is how I like it.

Last Saturday was the annual London Bookswap, where friends and friends of friends get together to eat lovely food and swap books. Obviously. Every year I say I am not going to take many, I am going to dump my stack and just take a couple, a few at the most…and I always end up taking away bags full. This year was no different, and I got some excellent books, lots of ones that look cheesy and easy on the brain, which is exactly what I was looking for. There seems to be a running theme of magic and demons and murder, so some may be a little darker than I was expecting, but never mind. I am currently reading one about magic and knitting and it is awesome.

Tomorrow I am going to a birthday party for a one year old. I hope she likes the gift I got her, and that it doesn’t drive her parents too mad. If there are lots of other babies there for me to cuddle I will be very happy.

What’s E.T Short For?*

Happy New Year! She says, a day or so late. Oh well. I have decent intentions at least.

My new year’s eve was, for once, very lovely indeed. Max and I went to a friend’s house for dinner and played board games. I know this doesn’t sound that exciting, but for me being in good company inside in the warm is infinitely preferable to standing outside in the freezing cold somewhere in London being thrown up on by drunk people while watching fireworks. We watched them on the telly instead. We lost at both Articulate and Trivial Pursuit, which killed us as we’re very competitive. Though losing to people who work out the answers in such a clever way makes it a little better. I was a bit upset by one question, ‘What is E.T’s job?’ As far as I was aware, E.T didn’t have a job. I have spent my whole life thinking E.T was a child alien, lost from his parents, and that’s one of the reasons he bonds so closely with Elliott, as his father has left. Apparently not. E.T is a botanist. I mean, I vaguely remember something about him looking at plants at the beginning, and he fixes that plant for Gertie, but I didn’t know it was his job. I think my version is better.

Moving on to another alien, last night was David Tennant’s last episode as the Doctor. I had been somewhat unimpressed by the first part, and was hoping for better here, and a brilliant, epic, send off. Alas, not to be. I know a lot of people loved it, but for me it was just too much. Too forced, too contrived. The main storyline of the Master and the returning Time Lords didn’t do anything for me at all, and I was pretty bored to be honest. And then there’s his ‘death’, because they were really hammering home the notion that this was a death and not a regeneration. And so we had the ‘It’s not fair!’ meltdown and throwing the toys out of the pram. All that ‘I don’t want to die/want you to die’ business. It was trying its hardest to make me cry, and I really did want to, I wanted to be devastated, and in the end I was just fed up. Longest regeneration ever. It was like watching Return of the King. I went from ‘I don’t want to Tennant to go!’ to ‘Oh god just sod off already!’ which I really did not expect. I was very disappointed. It should have been a lot better. Tennant deserved more. I am however now looking forward to the new series, so that’s one good thing to come out of it.

I am very much not looking forward to going back to work on Monday, I have enjoyed my time off immensely. The idea of going back is worsened by my having a stinky cold. Thanks universe. I knew I shouldn’t have been so cocky about it.

*Because he’s got little legs!

This is possibly my favourite joke. It may say a lot about my sense of humour. It may not.

Why So Serious?

I suck at proper entries right now, but here’s an update:

• This weekend I went to Poole with a group of buddies and had a great time. Sadly the weather was very British and it chucked it down all day Saturday. We hid out in a museum and tried on silly hats, drew pictures and made mosaics. Possibly these were activities for children, and there was a bit of a queue at the mosaic table but ha! we got there first kids! They only wanted to do it cos we were. We also walked for an age in the wind and rain and I was a grump. I am not fond of being wet and cold frankly. Back at the ‘apartment’ we played Trivial Pursuit, and me and Dave thrashed everyone. I knew a sports question! (OK, so the answer was Paul Newman, it still counts.) We went out in Poole for lots of dancing and avoiding mass fights, and I got chatted up by a 19 year old. Score!

• I’m still plodding along with my Cannonball read, but the reviews are getting old, let me tell you. Not helped by my non-review of Catch-22 being pulled to Pajiba last Friday and having people hate it. I’m not a reviewer, but then that’s not really the point of the Cannonball Read, as I see it. My ‘reviews’ of the books are just general thoughts, and my Catch-22 review was more a rant that was never really meant for anywhere except here. I didn’t finish it after all, it was just a way of keeping track of what I’d been up to. Here it is if you’re interested. I wish they hadn’t put it up really, I am too delicate for internet criticism! A lot of people were nice though, but some took it really personally. I left a couple of comments, which was probably silly of me, went away for the weekend and came back to that. Whoa. Some of them make fair points, or they would be fair, if it had been an attempt at an actual review. I think someone says something like ‘it reads more like a blog entry than a review’. Well it would, since that’s what it was!

Anyway, I then inspired last night’s comment diversion on classic novels you just didn’t get, so at least I’m good for something. They link to a site that’s quite interesting, with a list of classics that it’s probably best you don’t bother with. I haven’t read them all, and I disagree with the inclusion of The Road, but I do definitely agree with On The Road and possibly anything by Virgina Woolf.

• I have finally bought some new specs. I wanted some trendy ones, big black frames and all that. After trying on a bazillion I realised they just don’t really suit my face. I can’t carry off trendy. These are still black but metal, and small and square. I was so fed up of looking I probably did pick the first ones that I didn’t hate, but nevermind, it will be nice to see properly again.

Snozzcumbers and Villagers

Yesterday was a very nice London day. I went with Jenna to the Museum of Childhood to see the Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake exhibition. Cos Roald Dahl is awesome. It’s a very tiny exhibition, must be said, and I suppose much more kiddie friendly, lots of interactive stuff. But it was nice to see the original artworks and learn more about his writing process, and there was lots of ‘Oh my god I’d completely forgotten about that!’ and now I want to read all of his books again.

I think we were only in the museum for about twenty minutes. Then we went for a wander around Broadway Market which was very lovely and we had lunch, I had some sort of cheese and ham crepe thing, and I bought some eye cream from a stall, because I will buy anything that alleges to solve the problem of under eye shadows and stop me looking like Marty Feldman. I’ll let you know if that’s successful. We also bought some fudge (cos I LOVE fudge, and must buy it any time I see proper home made stuff), and it was fab. Less fab were the cupcakes we bought, which looked amazing but didn’t taste it. Not terrible, but I’ve had better, cupcake connoisseur that I am.

Then we decided to just walk around for a bit and see where that took us. I don’t do too much wandering in London, and it was nice not knowing where we were going, and yet I was nicely surprised to find I kept my bearings and we ended up where I thought we would. Then we went back to Jen’s for something to eat, and then back to mine to watch a DVD. We watched The Village, which Jenna hadn’t seen but happily she enjoyed. I know a lot of people don’t like it, but it’s one of my faves. Aided by the lovely Joaquin Phoenix of course.

I haven’t been for a run this week, as I’ve been busy and it’s been too hot, but I really should, and soon. Not today though.

Now excuse me while I go eat the last of the fudge.

Panic!

Last night I went out with Jenna for something to eat and to see The Hangover. As she’d paid for the tickets I was paying for dinner. I gave the (rather rude) server my card to pay, and I could see over Jen’s shoulder that she was having some issues with it. It wouldn’t read. Annoying, since I didn’t have any cash, but I figured it was their reader’s problem, because, hey, there’s nothing wrong with my card right? And I’ve definitely got money in there…

So I go to the cashpoint to get some money. ‘We cannot process your transaction at this point.’ OK, not to worry, I’ve had problems with Lloyd’s before, the calm, rational side of my brain says. Different bank. Same problem. Right. Something’s wrong here. The rational side of my brain says there’s probably something wrong with the card itself, the strip or the chip. It’s not like I have no money.

We go and sit outside the cinema because we’re a bit early, and Jenna’s talking to me and all I’m doing in my head is ‘ARGH! Oh my god, someone is stealing my money out from under me as I sit here. Cannot concentrate. What is Jenna saying?’ The rational side lost. I had to call my bank. I know it’s probably ridiculous of me to worry like that but the one thing that can set off my panic button is the idea of being without money. I got through to the bank and went through the automated bit and it says ‘Your current balance is…’

Oh please oh please oh please…

‘…exactly what you thought it would be.’

Oh my god, I might die of relief. I could hardly press the right buttons on the phone I was so shaky. I then talked to a friendly chap who told me I had just tried to take out 30 quid (which is a bit too Big Brotherish for me) and yes, most likely there was a fault with the card as my account is perfectly fine. They’ll send me a new one. Yay! In about five days. Huh. And it’ll be a Visa Debit card. What the hell is that? What happened to Maestro? I have always had Maestro! Also, I am not a Visa girl, I’m a Mastercard girl (a Mastercard girl who doesn’t know her Mastercard PIN, but whatever).

After buying milk on the way home I have about a fiver to last me that five days. Tis fine, I will raid the petty cash at work and leave a bandit-like ‘IOU’.

The Hangover, however, was excellent and exactly what I needed. It’s brilliant! It’s the best time I’ve had at the cinema in ages and you should go and see it! I keep replaying my favourite line and making myself chuckle. Also, I want the baby! (Not the one they keep switching it for, cos you can totally tell they’re not the same baby, but the proper one, he’s amazing). I loved that it didn’t rely on cheesy, predictable jokes that you’ve heard a billion times before. Other than one part, I couldn’t tell where it was going at all. Much much fun and all the cast were fantastic.

Zip It

Enough with the whiny crap. My birthday celebrations continued with a meal out with friends and dessert at Ben’s Cookies, and I also got cupcakes as a gift. Birthdays rock!

Also, here is a picture of the Pirate Zippy Max won me on Sunday.

He’s pretty cool right? Kinda massive, but cool. I especially like him since his T shirt matches my Goonies Never Say Die shirt.

For those who don’t know, (and how can you not?!) Zippy is a character from a beloved children’s TV show of the 80s, Rainbow. Zippy was fairly loud and annoying but lovable I suppose.

Tomorrow I am only working half a day and then I’m going home to Yorkshire for the weekend. Ah, bliss.

A Grand Day Out

I have had such a good day. It’s been lovely. First of all it’s been beautiful and hot and sunny and I’ve felt like I’ve been on holiday. Second of all I went to Chessington World of Adventures. It was fun!

I wasn’t exactly thrilled when my alarm went off this morning at 7 though. Did not want to get up, but once there and in the sunshine I was happy. We hit the zoo/aquarium first. The stingrays put their faces (?) out of the water and come right up to you. And there’s an underwater tunnel. Oh and then outside, meerkats! And little monkeys and you can walk around with them out of their cages.

Then we went to the rides. The Hocus Pocus Hall didn’t offer much except a chance to wear unnecessary silly 3D glasses. But the mirror maze was cool. The Tomb Blaster ride was quite boring. You’re supposed to fire at things to score points while on a ‘scary’ ride. Not scary at all. Quite yawn inducing. I would say it’s to be expected as it’s a very kiddie friendly park, but this wouldn’t even scare kids.

Next we went on what is possibly my fave ride of the day, The Rattlesnake. Oh how I mocked it. Look how crappy it looks. Puh, it’ll be a nice gentle ride…holy shit! I think I left my stomach back there. The problem was it looked so old and rickety that you felt like you were going to be hurled off the side at any minute. And it jerks on purpose, so you’re high up and it careens around bends and then up and down drops until you can’t catch your breath, and then it just STOPS! Ugh. We went on twice. The second time was less scary as we knew what to expect, but it had just broken down with some poor sods trapped halfway round, so there was added fear factor.

The log flume offered a short lived but much needed cool down, and the Runaway Train wasn’t very runaway. The Vampire, while a cool ride (a less scary Nemesis-like ride), was the longest queue, and was not really worth the hour+ we stood about baking.

The park wasn’t that busy at all, which I was really surprised about, and since we got there early we didn’t have to queue much at all. We didn’t get to go on the Dragon’s Fury as it kept breaking down, but it may be for the best since it went sideways at one point and I’m sure I’d have been scared. The staff there were really impressive too, really nice and helpful, and friendly but not in that fake ‘Have a nice day’ way. I really recommend the place for a chilled and fun day out.

At the end of the day Max wanted to win me a stuffed animal, so we went to this booth where you had to throw balls into cups. Depending on what colour the cup was the ball landed in, you got a prize. To get a big prize you had to hit a blue cup. There were only two of these, and so of course Max aimed for them. He got ten balls and missed them all. The guy running the booth took pity on him and gave him one last go. And he did it!! So I now have a giant Pirate Zippy to call my own. It also meant I had to carry PZ on public transport home. I got some funny looks, and also a few shouts of ‘Pirate Zippy!’ He’s very cuddly, and since I don’t have anyone to snuggle right now, PZ will have to do.

I am totally overdosed on sugar and sun, and being thrown about all day has left me with a headache and shattered, so I think an early night is due. Very glad no work tomorrow!!

But my day was excellent.